Just watched an interview by Elizabeth Stone (CTO Netflix) and learned that she has had almost meteoric rise at four different companies.. getting big title promotions in under 3 years every time.. including at Netflix. It’s a very inspiring interview. However, I do wonder if she has kids? I’m at a stage in my life where I’m questioning the absence of the glass ceiling and struggling to find success stories and mentors. The question I’m trying to get answered is - can I become who I want to become in my career while also being the parent that I want to be? (For context I have one child under 2 and thinking of having another). TC $250K
Whenever I see "meteoric rise" I think "sociopath"
Especially if they rose the ranks of HR. You almost have to be a sociopath to be that high up in HR.
She's not in HR.
She does not have kids. However, many other leaders do have kids. I'd be hesitant to make this a causal relationship - it's more likely that she has exceptional personality traits that help her succeed that may influence both aspects, but who knows. Also, she's just an incredible person.
There is a relationship. You can’t get promos fast if you have kids. She is very smart but also lucky and she also has some one backing her to be growing that fast even in a dei heavy environment. Just like anyone else at her place would have been.
It is connected unfortunately. Someone has to take care of the kids and if the husband or a hired caretaker wont do it, then it usually falls on the woman
Very true! There is no magic here, someone needs to take care of kids and that not only takes time but drives you crazy!
For most people, the deciding factor isn't whether u have kids or not for such a rise. You need to be exceptionally smart, influential, and know how to play the game. Sure you may have long hours but you still need to be working on the right things during those hours. Plenty of people don't. If you're doing all that and need help with the kids.. then get a nanny. Otherwise, make sure you are working on the right things first.
I agree with you about effective prioritization and believe you should work on high leverage tasks first in the time that you have. However, I do not agree with you about the “If you're doing all that and need help with the kids.. then get a nanny.” What if parenthood is also important to you? That would involve prioritizing your kids as well and not just outsourcing parenting. That’s where it gets hard. Everyone has the same 24 hours, and whether a person is a parent or not matters when you’re looking at career advancement or at least the speed of it. Also another aspect is the unconscious biases people have that adds to fight that parents need to fight, adding to the hurdles. Not saying it’s impossible, but definitely concretely harder.
@Twilio - I hate to break it to you, but you can't have it both ways. Whoever is assuring you that you can, really doesnt know or is just telling you platitudes and not telling you the truth. Sure you have to be really smart, influential, and know how to play the game. But at some point in your career, you will have to choose between your career and your kids (or else the choice may be made for you.) If it doesnt sit well with you to hire a nanny, and you think that this somehow makes you less of a parent - guess what? You are picking family over your career. Congrats. Pick that path and prioritize the rest of your life around it and stick with it. Whatever you do, dont try and prioritize both family and career as your number one. It would be the worst to suck at work AND have your kids be total losers in life and your indecisiveness when it comes to having to prioritize between these two areas would be a recipe for disaster in both. Godspeed
No amount of career success is as precious as having a family. Also, the glass ceiling is an illusion and often an excuse for people’s own shortcomings.
Just a wild guess - you’re not a woman
I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s an illusion and I would definitely stay away from calling it “an excuse for peoples own shortcomings”. As a younger woman I used to be fiercely bold and refused to believe in glass ceiling myself. However, as I’m growing up I realize that there definitely is resistance - resistance that is invisible and that some people face and others don’t. You might be one of those that don’t experience it maybe because you are a man or maybe because you have found a world where no biases work against you and there are no conflicting priorities you have to deal with. However, all I can say is that some people have to fight harder than others to achieve the same heights of success even with the same set of skills or brilliance. If you’re not in that category then least you can do is try to empathize.
Even 99.99% of the most privileged white male Chads will not have the career she has had and you probably weren’t going to have it either even without kids. You can’t achieve everything… you can’t even achieve most things. At best you can achieve a few things. You have to decide what’s most important to you and focus on that.
No worldly success will make up for failure at home capable and good people who don’t have children or neglect those they do because they prioritized money, ego etc, are not good role models and should not be emulated
If she does have children chances are there’s a lot of help to help her focus on her career. What’s more likely is a combination of competency, soft skills, luck and maybe connections
Honestly speaking, with one kid, yes, you might be able to get somewhere but not very high! With two, no! Impossible. You can only survive! unless you give up something: sleep, mental health, physical health, etc. Or you hire the type of help that royal families have!
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You can certainly achieve success but it gets harder for women as you move up the ladder. You need a strong support system at home and at work and some good mentors along the way. You also need some luck mixed in.